Scimitar-horned oryx Oryx dammah
A wonderful example of conservation.
The story of the scimitar-horned oryx: back to the wild from the brink of extinction.
The scimitar-horned oryx in a nutshell
- eats
- grass, herbaceous plants, roots, buds and sometimes vegetables and fruit
- inhabits
- the fringes of the Sahara
- excels at
- surviving without water
The scimitar-horned oryx is extremely well-adapted to the desert heat; so much so that it can go without water for months!
Extinct in the wild
The scimitar-horned oryx was once very common in North Africa. Due to climate change and being hunted heavily for horns and meat, however, the species was declared extinct in the wild in 2000. Fortunately, there were still some live specimens in zoos around the world at the time.
Nature conservation
Luckily, scimitar-horned oryx reproduce well in zoos, so the reintroduction of zoo-bred specimens could potentially ensure the survival of this species. Scimitar-horned oryx have already been released into fenced, protected areas in Tunisia, Senegal and Morocco, which is a step towards attempting to return the species to the wild.
A true desert animal
Scimitar-horned oryx can survive for months in the desert without drinking water. Two things help them to do this: they have extremely efficient kidneys, and they only begin to perspire once their body temperature exceeds 46 degrees. They also obtain water from the plants they eat.
